Kauenhowen (Kauenhoven, Kaunhowen, Kauenhofen) family
Kauenhowen (Kauenhoven, Kaunhowen, Kauenhofen; Dutch: Couwenhoven) is the name of a Mennonite family originally from Danzig, where it first appeared in the records in 1656. There are two Kauenhowen lines, and a relationship between the two is probable, but had not yet been established as of 1957.
The family name originated in the Netherlands where the place name Kouwenhoven (Couwenhoven) can be found near Amersfoort, Bunnik, and Leiden. From which of these places the Danzig Kauenhovens came, cannot be definitely indentified. They emigrated from the Netherlands to the mouth of the Vistula during the first part of the 17th century, settling at Danzig, Altschottland, Schidlitz, and Stolzenberg. Since 1732 the family name is mentioned in the records of Königsberg in Prussia, where members of the family resided until 1908. Between 1732-53 four members of the Danzig Kauenhoven family went back to the Netherlands, where descendants were still living in 1957 at Heemstede, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. Between 1784 and 1855 several members of the Danzig and Königsberg Kauenhoven families immigrated to Russia. One of them, Bernhard Kauenhoven (1786-1841), settled shortly after 1809 at Rosenthal near Chortitz, Ukraine. Later on he moved to Bergthal where his descendants would emigrate from on their way to the East and West Reserve of Manitoba in 1875.
In 1922 some of the Canadian Kauenhovens went to Mexico, settling near Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, and in 1927 others settled in the Menno Colony in the Paraguayan Chaco. In 1840 Heinrich Peter Kauenhoven (Henry P. Cowenhoven, 1814-96) left West Prussia for the United States and became one of the Colorado pioneers at Aspen, Colorado. In 1880 Theodor Kauenhoven (1853-1918) went from Königsberg to London, England, where, later, some of his descendants would adopt the family name Carton.
With very few exceptions up to 1815 all members of the two Danzig Kauenhoven lines belonged to the Danzig Flemish Mennonite congregation or to the Königsberg Mennonite Church. After that date the Kauenhovens living at Danzig and Königsberg in Prussia more often than not left the Mennonite church and became members of the Reformed, Lutheran, or Baptist churches by marrying outside the Mennonite church. In the 20th century, however, some of them returned to the Mennonite church. On the other hand, the Kauenhovens who immigrated to Russia and later to the Americas have generally remained members of the Mennonite church, many of them belonging to the Sommerfeld church of the "Old Colony." The name Kauenhoven is now comparatively rare among Mennonites. In 1957 there were about 9 Kauenhoven families in Europe now, and about 6 each living in Manitoba, Mexico, Paraguay.
Between the two Kouenhoven lines several members have been notable leaders for the church. In the period from 1678 to 1830 eleven members of the Danzig Kauenhovens were deacons of the Danzig Flemish Mennonite Church, three of whom were also ministers. Two of the Kauenhoven women were elected deaconesses in 1758 and 1804. Of the Königsberg Kauenhovens two were deacons and one of them later became a minister of the Königsberg Mennonite Church.
Special mention should be made of several persons of the older branch: Arend Kauenhoven (1712-92), was a brandy distiller, vinegar brewer, and spice seller at Altschottland near Danzig, and willed 11,000 guilders to the Danzig Flemish Mennonite Church; Abraham Kauenhoven (1674-1731), in 1720 was "Vorsteher" of the Danzig Flemish Mennonite Church. Of the members of the younger Danzig Kauenhoven family several members should be mentioned: Cornelius Kauenhoven (1683-1756), a lacemaker in the city of Danzig (?) was chosen "Vorsteher" in 1718 and preacher in 1720 of the Danzig Flemish Mennonite Church; Berend Kauenhoven (1707-63), a brewer at Schönfeld near Danzig, in 1743 was chosen "Vorsteher," and 1749 chosen to be a preacher in the Danzig Flemish Mennonite congregation; Isaak Kauenhoven (1714-94), a dyer of silk, was "Vorsteher," preacher, and benefactor of the Königsberg Mennonite congregation; Johann Kauenhofen (1892-1935), was a preacher, orphan supervisor, and Schulze (mayor) of the Neuenlage Mennonite settlement at Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Bibliography
Kauenhowen, Kurt and Walter, ed., Die Kauenhowen. No. 1, Verden/Aller, 1926.
Kauenhowen, Kurt Kauenhowen, ed. Mitteilungen des Sippenverbandes der Danziger MennonitenFamilien Epp-Kauenhowen-Zimmermann. Göttingen, 1935-40, continued as Mitteilungen des Sippenverbandes Danziger Mennoniten-Familien (Göttingen, 1941-43), again continued as Nachrichtenblatt des Sippenverbandes Danziger Mennoniten-Familien (Göttingen, 1943-44).
Kauenhowen, Kurt. "Stammfolge Bernhard Kauenhowen zur Ausbreitung einer russlanddeutschen Siedlerfamilie 1600-1938." in Der Wanderweg der Russlanddeutschen. Stuttgart, 1939: 137-40.
| Author(s) | Kurt Kauenhoven |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1957 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Kauenhoven, Kurt. "Kauenhowen (Kauenhoven, Kaunhowen, Kauenhofen) family." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Kauenhowen_(Kauenhoven,_Kaunhowen,_Kauenhofen)_family&oldid=141184.
APA style
Kauenhoven, Kurt. (1957). Kauenhowen (Kauenhoven, Kaunhowen, Kauenhofen) family. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Kauenhowen_(Kauenhoven,_Kaunhowen,_Kauenhofen)_family&oldid=141184.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 155. All rights reserved.
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